In 1066, a comet (later known as Halley's Comet) appeared in the sky, which was widely interpreted as an omen of great change. King Harold of England saw it as a bad sign, while William the Conqueror interpreted it as a favorable omen for his invasion. This celestial event, recorded in the Bayeux Tapestry, was seen as fulfilling prophecies of a new order, leading to the Norman conquest and the reshaping of English society.

The appearance of Halley's Comet in 1066 became a legendary omen, immortalized in the Bayeux Tapestry and in numerous chronicles and poems. It has been referenced in English literature from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle to modern works, serving as a symbol of fate, change, and the divine right of kings in the English literary tradition.